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Zimmerman A, Petters MD, Meskhidze N. Observations of new particle formation, modal growth rates, and direct emissions of sub-10 nm particles in an urban environment. ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT (OXFORD, ENGLAND : 1994) 2020; 242:117835. [PMID: 32834729 PMCID: PMC7411388 DOI: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2020.117835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Ultrafine particles with diameters less than 100 nm suspended in the air are a topic of interest in air quality and climate sciences. Sub-10 nm particles are of additional interest due to their health effects and contribution to particle growth processes. Ambient measurements were carried out at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC between April to June 2019 and November 2019 to May 2020 to investigate the temporal variability of size distribution and number concentration of ultrafine particles. A mobile lab was deployed between March and May 2020 to characterize the spatial distribution of sub-10 nm particle number concentration. New particle formation and growth events were observed regularly. Also observed were direct emissions of sub-10 nm particles. Analysis against meteorological variables, gas-phase species, and particle concentrations show that the sub-10nm particles dominated number concentration during periods of low planetary boundary layer height, low solar radiation, and northeast winds. The spatial patterns observed during mobile deployments suggest that multiple temporally stable and spatially confined point sources of sub-10 nm particles are present within the city. These sources likely include the campus utility plants and the Raleigh-Durham International Airport. Additionally, the timing of data collection allowed for investigation of variations in the urban aerosol number size distribution due to reduced economic activity during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa Zimmerman
- Department of Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Markus D Petters
- Department of Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Nicholas Meskhidze
- Department of Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
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Perraud V, Xu J, Gerber RB, Finlayson-Pitts BJ. Integrated experimental and theoretical approach to probe the synergistic effect of ammonia in methanesulfonic acid reactions with small alkylamines. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2020; 22:305-328. [PMID: 31904037 DOI: 10.1039/c9em00431a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
While new particle formation events have been observed worldwide, our fundamental understanding of the precursors remains uncertain. It has been previously shown that small alkylamines and ammonia (NH3) are key actors in sub-3 nm particle formation through reactions with acids such as sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and methanesulfonic acid (CH3S(O)(O)OH, MSA), and that water also plays a role. Because NH3 and amines co-exist in air, we carried out combined experimental and theoretical studies examining the influence of the addition of NH3 on particle formation from the reactions of MSA with methylamine (MA) and trimethylamine (TMA). Experiments were performed in a 1 m flow reactor at 1 atm and 296 K. Measurements using an ultrafine condensation particle counter (CPC) and a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) show that new particle formation was systematically enhanced upon simultaneous addition of NH3 to the MSA + amine binary system, with the magnitude depending on the amine investigated. For the MSA + TMA reaction system, the addition of NH3 at ppb concentrations produced a much greater effect (i.e. order of magnitude more particles) than the addition of ∼12 000 ppm water (corresponding to ∼45-50% relative humidity). The effect of NH3 on the MSA + MA system, which is already very efficient in forming particles on its own, was present but modest. Calculations of energies, partial charges and structures of small cluster models of the multi-component particles likewise suggest synergistic effects due to NH3 in the presence of MSA and amine. The local minimum structures and the interactions involved suggest mechanisms for this effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Véronique Perraud
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
| | - Jing Xu
- Department of Optical Engineering, Zhejiang A&F University, Lin'an 311300, Zhejiang, China
| | - R Benny Gerber
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA. and Institute of Chemistry, The Fritz Haber Research Center, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
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Kammer J, Perraudin E, Flaud PM, Lamaud E, Bonnefond JM, Villenave E. Observation of nighttime new particle formation over the French Landes forest. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 621:1084-1092. [PMID: 29042089 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.10.118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2017] [Revised: 10/03/2017] [Accepted: 10/13/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Improving the understanding of processes related to atmospheric particle sources is essential to better assess future climate. Especially, how biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) are involved in new particle formation (NPF) is still unclear, highlighting the need for field studies in sites that have not yet been explored. Weakly anthropised, mostly composed of maritime pines (known as strong monoterpene emitters), vast and under the influence of sea spray inputs, the Landes forest (located in the southwestern part of France) is a suitable ecosystem to explore these questions. The aim of the present work was to investigate for the first time NPF in the Landes forest, and to identify the conditions for NPF. During a field campaign conducted in July 2015, clear NPF was observed during nighttime, at a high frequency rate (37.5%), whereas only two daytime episodes were observed. Growth rates during NPF events were in the range 9.0-15.7nmh-1, and nucleation rates (J10) in the range 0.8-8 particles cm3s-1, typically in the range of reported values from rural sites. Nocturnal NPF started at sunset, lagging the reductions of temperature and ozone concentration as well as the increase of relative humidity, atmospheric stability and monoterpene concentration. We established that NPF occurred during more stratified atmosphere episodes, reflecting that NPF is more influenced by local processes at the Landes forest site (Bilos). Concentration of the sum of monoterpenes, here mainly α- and β-pinene, was observed to be maximal during NPF episodes. On the contrary, ozone concentration was lower, which may indicate a larger consumption during nights where NPF episodes occur. Results strongly suggest the contribution of BVOC oxidation to nocturnal NPF, in both nucleation and the growth stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Kammer
- University of Bordeaux, EPOC, UMR 5805 CNRS, 33405 Talence Cedex, France; CNRS, EPOC, UMR 5805 CNRS, 33405 Talence Cedex, France; INRA, UMR 1391 ISPA, F-33140 Villenave d'Ornon, France; Bordeaux Sciences Agro, UMR 1391 ISPA, F-33170 Gradignan, France
| | - E Perraudin
- University of Bordeaux, EPOC, UMR 5805 CNRS, 33405 Talence Cedex, France; CNRS, EPOC, UMR 5805 CNRS, 33405 Talence Cedex, France
| | - P-M Flaud
- University of Bordeaux, EPOC, UMR 5805 CNRS, 33405 Talence Cedex, France; CNRS, EPOC, UMR 5805 CNRS, 33405 Talence Cedex, France
| | - E Lamaud
- INRA, UMR 1391 ISPA, F-33140 Villenave d'Ornon, France; Bordeaux Sciences Agro, UMR 1391 ISPA, F-33170 Gradignan, France
| | - J M Bonnefond
- INRA, UMR 1391 ISPA, F-33140 Villenave d'Ornon, France; Bordeaux Sciences Agro, UMR 1391 ISPA, F-33170 Gradignan, France
| | - E Villenave
- University of Bordeaux, EPOC, UMR 5805 CNRS, 33405 Talence Cedex, France; CNRS, EPOC, UMR 5805 CNRS, 33405 Talence Cedex, France.
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Sullivan RC, Crippa P, Hallar AG, Clarisse L, Whitburn S, Van Damme M, Leaitch WR, Walker JT, Khlystov A, Pryor SC. Using satellite-based measurements to explore spatiotemporal scales and variability of drivers of new particle formation. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH. ATMOSPHERES : JGR 2016; 121:12217-12235. [PMID: 32803203 PMCID: PMC7425633 DOI: 10.1002/2016jd025568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
New particle formation (NPF) can potentially alter regional climate by increasing aerosol particle (hereafter particle) number concentrations and ultimately cloud condensation nuclei. The large scales on which NPF is manifest indicate potential to use satellite-based (inherently spatially averaged) measurements of atmospheric conditions to diagnose the occurrence of NPF and NPF characteristics. We demonstrate the potential for using satellite-based measurements of insolation (UV), trace gas concentrations (sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ammonia (NH3), formaldehyde (HCHO), and ozone (O3)), aerosol optical properties (aerosol optical depth (AOD) and Ångström exponent (AE)), and a proxy of biogenic volatile organic compound emissions (leaf area index (LAI) and temperature (T)) as predictors for NPF characteristics: formation rates, growth rates, survival probabilities, and ultrafine particle (UFP) concentrations at five locations across North America. NPF at all sites is most frequent in spring, exhibits a one-day autocorrelation, and is associated with low condensational sink (AOD × AE) and HCHO concentrations, and high UV. However, there are important site-to-site variations in NPF frequency and characteristics, and in which of the predictor variables (particularly gas concentrations) significantly contribute to the explanatory power of regression models built to predict those characteristics. This finding may provide a partial explanation for the reported spatial variability in skill of simple generalized nucleation schemes in reproducing observed NPF. In contrast to more simple proxies developed in prior studies (e.g., based on AOD, AE, SO2, and UV), use of additional predictors (NO2, NH3, HCHO, LAI, T, and O3) increases the explained temporal variance of UFP concentrations at all sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- R. C. Sullivan
- Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - P. Crippa
- COMET, School of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - A. G. Hallar
- Storm Peak Laboratory, Desert Research Institute, Steamboat Springs, Colorado, USA; Atmospheric Science Department, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - L. Clarisse
- Environment Canada, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - S. Whitburn
- Storm Peak Laboratory, Desert Research Institute, Steamboat Springs, Colorado, USA; Atmospheric Science Department, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - M. Van Damme
- Storm Peak Laboratory, Desert Research Institute, Steamboat Springs, Colorado, USA; Atmospheric Science Department, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | | | - J. T. Walker
- National Risk Management Research Laboratory, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - A. Khlystov
- Desert Research Institute, Reno, Nevada, USA
| | - S. C. Pryor
- Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA; Pervasive Technology Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
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Case Study of Particle Number Fluxes and Size Distributions during Nucleation Events in Southeastern Italy in the Summer. ATMOSPHERE 2015. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos6070942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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